MOT performance
Kia Niro vs SEAT Arona: MOT pass rates compared
In 2023–2024, 87.6% of 115,269 Kia Niro MOT tests and 85.5% of 89,368 SEAT Arona tests passed first time — 2.1 points in favour of the Kia Niro. Once age, mileage and fuel are allowed for, the Kia Niro fails less often than the SEAT Arona: 0.97× against 1.09× the national rate for comparable cars.
115,269 Kia Niro and 89,368 SEAT Arona MOT tests, 2023–2024
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| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Kia Niro: first-time pass rate | 87.6% | ±0.2 pts (95%), n = 115,269 |
| SEAT Arona: first-time pass rate | 85.5% | ±0.2 pts (95%), n = 89,368 |
| Kia Niro: failures vs similar cars | -3% | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| SEAT Arona: failures vs similar cars | +9% | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Kia Niro: dangerous defect | 4.6% | n = 115,269 |
| SEAT Arona: dangerous defect | 5.5% | n = 89,368 |
| Average age at test | 3.4 vs 3.6 years | Kia Niro vs SEAT Arona |
Why the raw pass rates can mislead
The SEAT Arona was tested at an older average age (3.6 years against 3.4), and older cars fail more often whatever they are. That is why the table above also shows failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel: it compares the models, not their fleets.
Failure areas side by side
Share of MOT tests that failed on each area, and in brackets how that compares with cars of the same age, mileage and fuel (1.00 = national average). The clearest difference is steering, where the SEAT Arona fails 11.5 times as often on an adjusted basis.
| Area | Kia Niro | SEAT Arona |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 1.2% (+6%) | 4.3% (+85%) |
| Steering | 0.1% (-18%) | 2.5% (+842%) |
| Suspension | 0.2% (-82%) | 0.6% (-50%) |
| Tyres | 6.1% (+2%) | 4.7% (+1%) |
| Road wheels | 0.1% (-54%) | 0.2% (+3%) |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.6% (-13%) | 2.1% (-29%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 0.2% (-22%) | 0.2% (-59%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 3.2% (+12%) | 1.9% (-40%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.3% (+38%) | 0.6% (-1%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.2% (-19%) | 0.7% (+118%) |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.1% (-48%) | 0.1% (-40%) |
Pass rate at the same age
Comparing cars of the same age removes most of the fleet-age effect from the raw rates.
| Age at test | Kia Niro | SEAT Arona |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 years | 87.8% (n = 53,440) | 87.0% (n = 50,119) |
| 5-6 years | 85.4% (n = 21,685) | 79.0% (n = 21,246) |
Most common failure item
- Kia Niro · wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (2.53% of tests)
- SEAT Arona · brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick (2.31% of tests)
MOT results reflect how cars are maintained as well as how they are built, so a gap between two models is a difference in test performance, not proof that one is more reliable. For one car, its own MOT history says more than any average.
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About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.